Point of View of ???
The night was dark.Almost as dark as the environment I had grown used to living in alongside my "comrades"… if that term even applied.
People who wouldn't hesitate to kill me if the situation demanded it.
Even so…it was better than being alone.
Especially when what we were about to do… was horrible.
Though, for me, it had already become routine.
—Keep your eyes open. We're close to the target. She may look like a child… but she's still an extremely powerful monster… though there's nothing to worry about —the leader added—. We've got worse things on our side.
He said it with a confident smile, a smile that once again reminded us this job would be just another one on our long list of crimes.
And yet, I knew exactly why he said it.
After all, this time we were accompanied by six Apostle followers and twenty high-ranking members, in addition to my squad, which was mid-rank.
I had seen firsthand what the Apostle followers we were with were capable of.
Even if they were far below the power of an Apostle… they were still overwhelming.
It was absurd.Inhuman.
—Can we have some fun with her before killing her?
Rom.Again.
That idiot never missed a chance to show what he really was.
Some of us had chosen this path.Others… not so much.
But him…
He enjoyed every second.Especially others' suffering.
I hated him.
If I had the chance… I'd kill him without a second thought.
—Ha… ha… ha…
A dry laugh escaped my mouth.
I guess I wasn't entirely wrong.
We were comrades.
Because just as they wouldn't hesitate to kill me…
I wouldn't hesitate to kill them either.
Especially Rom.
And that…was fine.
That's how this world worked.
—We've arrived. This was the last point where one of the "eyes" detected the target. Beyond this… we don't know what's there.
The forest began to open up.Moonlight filtered in more intensely, revealing the landscape before us.
—Fiuu…
One of the men whistled, surprised.
And for good reason.
Before us stood something like a church which, though deteriorated, rose majestically and solemnly in the center of a vast open field resembling a beautiful meadow.
Enhancing the atmosphere even more, the surroundings were softly bathed in moonlight, making the place feel even more mystical.
Right in front of the church stood two women. One, I assumed, was the mission's target, judging by her resemblance to the mental image I remembered.
The other woman… from her appearance, she seemed to be a nun, but… she was nothing like an ordinary nun.
After all, she was impossibly beautiful.
Her figure, her face, everything that made up her being seemed crafted with the greatest love and care any being could offer. That was how beautiful the nun was—who I assumed worked at the church.
—Looks like our prey picked a nice place —Rom laughed—. Even better for me… more things to enjoy.
For a moment, a deep hostility filled my entire being, directed at Rom…
At the same time, I racked my brain trying to find a way—any way—to save the beautiful nun.
As we got closer and closer to the two women, suddenly—
The ground beneath our feet lit up.
Red.Intense.Blinding.
I closed my eyes instinctively.
When I opened them…
I was standing in the forest again.
But something…was wrong.
I was alone. None of my comrades were anywhere to be seen.
The air felt heavy.Dense.
As if something was… too close.
As if something was breathing right behind me.
I turned sharply.
Nothing.
—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
A scream.
Distant.Tearing.
It echoed far away—an extremely familiar scream.
At that moment, a thought crossed my mind.
We were no longer the hunters.
Now we were the prey.
I ran.
Without thinking.
Straight toward the source of the scream.
When I arrived…
I saw him.
One of the Apostle followers.
—You… —he said indifferently—. You came with the team… right?
His tone was strange.Bored.
As if all of this were a nuisance.
—Yes, sir. Mid-rank. I'm on this mission.
—Yeah, yeah… whatever —he replied, yawning—. Let's just find whoever's responsible, eliminate the target, and leave. I don't want to waste time.
—Understood —I said, bowing my head—. I'll do my best to assist.
The man waved his hand, clearly annoyed, and started walking.
—Sir… —I hesitated—. The one responsible… and the target aren't the same?
He stopped.Slowly.
Turned his head.
His gaze… was sharp.Heavy.
—You're pretty bold for a mid-rank.
My body tensed.
Being close to an Apostle follower was completely different.
His presence, though subtle, was overwhelming. I could now clearly see his appearance—covered in a robe, with only his hands and feet visible.
Dead eyes.An expressionless mouth.A face of superiority that made me feel inferior.
—I apologize. That was careless of me.
—No… —he said after a few seconds—. I like you.
He smiled faintly.
—The ability we're experiencing… doesn't match the target's.
That means someone else is involved.
—Then… shouldn't we be on alert?
—Buaaah… —he yawned—. Not really.
He kept walking.
—If someone strong were involved, there would be clearer signs.
Besides… this place doesn't seem to house someone like that.
He paused.
—And if it does… they're probably more defense-oriented than attack-oriented.
The barrier is… decent.
—Probably the nun's work—the one who was with the target.
Crack.
I turned toward the source of the sound.
Crunch… crunch…
My body froze.
That sound…
Someone…
chewing.
It came from behind.
Where he was.
Where… he should have been.
I didn't want to look.
Every part of me screamed not to.
But I did.
Plop.
Something fell to the ground.
And I saw it.
A creature.
Gigantic.Humanoid.Demonic.
Devouring the upper half of the Apostle follower's body.
The world stopped.
Our gazes met.
If I could even call it a gaze—horns protruded from the holes where its eyes should have been.
I couldn't see clearly, but in the darkness, I could make out that the creature… was smiling.
Cold spread through my entire body.
And then—
I ran.
I ran like never before.
Without looking back.Without thinking.
Just… survive.
I don't know how much time passed.
Seconds.Minutes.Hours.
But when I stopped…
I was alone.
The same forest.The same silence.
—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—
Another scream.
Closer.More horrible.
No.
I wasn't going.
I turned around.
And ran in the opposite direction.
Then—
pain.
I looked at my left arm.
It was gone.
Only blood.
—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—
The scream escaped me without permission.
I didn't feel it coming.I didn't see it.
When…?How…?
The pain was unbearable.
My body… was collapsing.
—Fuuuuuu…
A breath.
Over me.
I looked up.
There it was.
Watching me.
There was no hatred.No pleasure.
Only… emptiness.
—Ru… n…
My mind barely formed the word.
I tried to run.I tripped.I fell.
Squash!
An indescribable pain tore through my body.
My legs…
crushed.
The creature lifted me by my shattered legs like I was a ragdoll.
As if I weighed nothing.
Face to face.
I looked at it.
There was no cruelty.
And that… was worse.
It wasn't torturing me.It wasn't enjoying it.
I…
meant nothing.
It opened its mouth.
And in that instant—
I understood.
Inside it…
I saw everything.
Every mistake.Every person I destroyed.Every decision.Every sin.
It wasn't a monster.
It was judgment.
—It was never hunting us…
My voice was barely a whisper.
—It's punishing us…
I laughed.
Weakly.
Of course.
It made sense.
Then…
I saw it.
In the distance.
Me.
Running.Like before.
I tried to scream.To warn myself.To save myself.
But no sound came out.
Desperation.
Pure.Absolute.
And then—
everything ended.
I didn't see.I didn't feel.I didn't exist.